Foot and leg rest for wheelchairs



June 13, 196'? c; E. mumor 3,325,215

FOOT AND LEG REST FOR WHEELCHAIHS Filed June 30, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CHARLES/. Mz/Hcorr www4/fw.,

l ATTORNEY Jim@ 13, 1967 c. E. MURCQTT FOOT AND LEG REST FOR WHEELCHAIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1966 INVENTOR. CHA/w55 /Wwcorr f7 TTR/VE Y Unted States Patent O 3.325.215 FOOT AND LEG REST FOR WHEELCHAIRS Charles E. Murcott, Valley Drive, Bay Crest, Huntington, N.Y. 11743 Filed June 30, 1966, Ser. No. 561,856 9 Claims. (Cl. 297-433) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Foot and leg rest for wheelchairs.

This invention relates to a foot and leg rest assemblage for use in connection with wheelchairs and the like. More particularly, the invention deals with a structure of the character defined employing a frame comprising a pair of parallel support rods and an offset U-shaped frame portion integral with one end portion of the rods and parallel therewith, said frame portion including means for adjustably mounting a foot rest` and leg supporting platform in connection therewith.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with means for frictionally retaining the platform in angularly adjusted positions with respect to said U-shaped frame portion.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side View of the front end portion of a wheelchair, with part of the construction broken away and illustrating the foot rest assemblage in closed position in dot-dash lines and also illustrating the platform of the foot rest in angular position in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a View, generally similar to FIG. 1, showing only partof the construction and illustrating the assemblage in any inverted use Vposition and indicating, in dotdash lines, a pillow or other cushion arranged upon the platform of the assemblage.

FIG. 3 is a view generally looking in the direction of the lines 3--3, FIG. l, on an enlarged scale, with part of the construction broken away and in section. FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 3, showing only part of the construction; and

FIG. 5 is a partial section on the line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

The foot and leg rest assemblage, generally identified by the reference character 10, is illustrated as mounted in connection with a wheelchair, generally of the construction shown in Letters Patent granted to me Mar. 3, 1964, No. 3,123,397.` From this'standpoint, only part of the forward portion of the chair is shown, in other words, the front legs 11 terminating at their upper end in a forwardly and upwardly curved portion 12 extending rearwardly in an arm rest supporting portion 13. At 14 is shown part of one of the side rails of the seat frame and at 15 is shown part of the seat which is fixed to the front legs, as seen at 16. The wheelchair illustrated in part in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing differs from the wheelchair shown in the Letters Patent in question, in that the front casters are eliminated and, instead, outwardly extending wheel axles 17 are supported in connection with the lower portions of the front legs 11, the axles supporting freely rotatable wheels 18.

In the construction shown, the axles 17 are shown as coupled with angularly offset portions 19 fixed to the lower ends of the front legs 11, as best seen in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

At 20 I have shown the lower leg bracing tubes bracing the legs of the wheelchair and welded or otherwise secured to inner surfaces of the legs, as will clearly appear from a consideration of FIG. 3. These tubes are parallel to each other and form supports for the assemblage 10.

The assemblage 10 comprises a frame consisting of parallel rods or support tubes at 21 slidably mounted in the tubes 20, the tubes 21 having adjacent their inner end portions spring actuated catches, one of which is seen at 22 in FIG. 1 of the drawing, which snap into apertures in the tubes 20 in automatically checking movement of the assemblage 10 into fully extended position. Upon manually depressing 22, the complete assemblage can be detached from the tubes 20 and mounted in an inverted position, as shown in FIG. 2, for purposes later described. The frame of the assemblage also includes an offset U- shaped frame portion 23, arranged horizontally under, as seen in FIG. l, and offset with respect to the tubes 21 by perpendicular tubes 24 welded to the forward ends of the tubes 21.

Considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, it will appear that the perpendicular tubes or tube portions 24 of 23 converge downwardly in maintaining the entire assemblage within the environment of the front leg members 11.

Considering FIG. 4 of the drawing, at 25 is shown the crosshead of the U-shaped frame portion 23 and this crosshead is pivotally fixed on the lower surface of a platform 26 inwardly of one side edge portion 27 thereof by the use of spaced clips 28. The sides of the frame portion 23 join the crosshead 25 with the perpendicular tube portions 24 and said sides of 23 are arranged under and are parallel with the support tubes 21, as viewed in FIGS. l, 3, 4 and 5. Secured to the lower surface of the other side portion of the platform 26 are a pair of channel straps 29, elongated in contour to provide movement of a lock or stop rod 30 therein. The rod 30 has ends 31 offset at right angles to the rod 30 to define a generally U- shaped stop and the end 31 terminating in angularly offset pivot ends 32, which are pivoted in the frame 23, as will clearly appear from a consideration of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing. Secured to the lower surface of the platform 26 in the environment of the straps 29 are strips 33 of suitable friction material engaging the rod 30 in support of the platform 26 in different tilted positions with respect to the normal horizontal position of the platform when the same is substantially parallel to the tubes 21, as shown in full lines in FIG. l and in other figures. When in the horizontal position, the platform rests directly upon the U-shaped frame portion 23.

The upper surface of the platform 216 is recessed, as seen, in part, in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawing to receive a suitable gripper pad 34, having rib-like projections 35 which extend longitudinally of the platform to insure positive grip of the feet with4 the platform in the use of the assemblage.

Normally, the assemblage is used in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 and, in this position, the assemblage can be projected forwardly with respect to the tubes 20 to any desired degree, the limit of which projection is controlled by the automatic stops 22 and, when not in use, the assemblage can be fully collapsed to the position indicated in dot-dash lines at 10 in FIG. 1 and, in this position, it will be noted that the forward edge 26 of the platform 26 is set inwardly to a substantial degree with respect to the forward edge 15 of the seat of the wheelchair, so as to fully clear the heels of the feet of a patient seated in the wheelchair and enabling the patient to stand upright without danger of movement of the wheelchair. Normally, these foot rests have projected to a slight degree at the front of the wheelchair and the legs of the patient would assume the forwardly extending angular position and, in attempting to get out of the wheelchair, an unbalanced situation prevailed. This is fully obviated by virture of the structure employed in .the assemblage 10.

Whenever desired, the platform of the foot rest can be moved into raised angular position for more comfortable support of the feet and this can be accomplished by the patient by simply applying heel pressure on the rear extended portion of the platform 26, as indicated by the arrow 36 of FIG. 1 of the drawing. This `brings the offset Y ends 31 of the rods 30 substantially at right angles to the platform, as seen in dot-dash lines at 31 in FIG. 5 of the drawing and, in order to return the platform to the lowered position, a nurse or other attendant or the patient, if capable of doing so, simply applies foot pressure to one of the offset ends 31', permitting the platform to drop automatically into the lowered normal position shown in Vfull lines in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 2 of the drawing is diagrammatically illustrated the reverse or inverted use of the assemblage wherein the platform is arranged above the tubes 21 instead of below the tubes and, in this position, the lower surface of the platform will be directed upwardly and a cushion, pillow or the like, represented by the dot-dash showing at 37 of FIG. 2, can be arranged on the platform in providing a very comfortable and practical support of the legs of a patient seated in the wheelchair, it being understood that the assemblage is adjusted to the desired position with respect to the wheelchair for positioning of the cushion 37. This inverted position can also be utilized for storage of the assemblage 10 when not in use. However, to maintain the assemblage 10` always available for foot rest support, storage would be in the position shown in dot-dash lines at 10 in FIG. l of the drawing.

Returning to the showing in FIGS. l and 5 of the drawing, it will be apparent that the U-shaped portion of the frame 23 joins the perpendicular tube portions 24 in a substantially round juncture 38, so that, in the use of the wheelchair, this round juncture portion will pass over sills and the like that may prevail, the frame 23 being formed to provide the usual clearance required in operation of wheelchairs in hospitals or the like.

It will be apparent that the perpendicular tube portions 24 at the forward ends of the support tubes 21 act as stops, checking movement of the assemblage into collapsed position and, here, it is also to be noted that the forward edge portion of the platform 26 is set inwardly with respect to said stops 24, which automatically provides the inward offsetting of the platform with respect to the seat of the wheelchair in providing the desired clearance mentioned above.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot and leg rest assemblage of the character defined comprising a frame consisting of parallel support tubes having at one end portion thereof an offset U-shaped frame parallel with and offset and coupled with respect to said support tubes in perpendicular tube portions, said tube portions forming stops checking movement of the assemblage in one direction in the use thereof in connection with a wheelchair, said U-shaped frame having a crosshead joining said tube portions in sides parallel with said support tubes, and a platform pivotally supported on said crosshead and arranged upon a surface of said U- shaped frame with the forward edge of said platform set inwardly with respect to said stops.

2. An assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivotal support is arranged inwardly of the inner end portion of said platform.

3. An assemblage as defined in claim 2, wherein means is employed operatively engaging the U-shaped frame and said platform for support of the platform in angular position with respect to said U-shaped frame.

4. An assemblage as defined in claim 3, wherein said last named means comprises a U-shaped lock rod having angularly offset ends pivotally supported in said U-shaped frame, and said lock rod operatively engaging elongated straps secured to the lower surface of the forward portion of said platform.

5. An assemblage as defined in claim 4, wherein frictional means is supported on the platform in the environment of said straps for frictionally retaining said lock rod in operative position.

6. An assemblage as defined in claim S, wherein said perpendicular tube portions are contracted inwardly in maintaining the entire assemblage in a predetermined environment defined, in part, by said support tubes.

7. An assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheelchair includes parallel leg bracing tubes at the lower portion thereof, in which the support tubes of said assemblage are slidably mounted in adjusting the position of the assemblage with respect to the Wheelchair, and said support tubes of the assemblage and said tubes of the wheelchair having interengaging means checking full extension of the assemblage with respect to the wheelchair.

8. An assemblage as defined in claim 2, wherein in the normal use of said assemblage the platform is arranged below said support tubes of the assemblage, and said assemblage is mountable in connection with a Wheelchair with the platform arranged above said support tubes in providing a leg rest of Said assemblage utilizing a cushion on the then lower surface of said platform.

9. An assemblage as defined in clai-m 8, wherein the upper surface of said platform includes a pad providing a gripper upper surface for the platform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,720 7/ 1941 Wonderly 297-430 X 2,728,374 12/1955 Whalen 297-433 X 2,762,422 9/ 1956 Stratton 297-430 X 3,123,397 3/1964 Murcott 297-430 X 3,143,375 8/1964 Longbaum 297-439 3,258,276 6/1966 Murcott 297-433 X 3,270,353 9/1966 Berthelson et al 5-81 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FOOT AND LEG REST ASSEMBLAGE OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED COMPRISING A FRAME CONSISTING OF PARALLEL SUPPORT TUBES HAVING AT ONE END PORTION THEREOF AN OFFSET U-SHAPED FRAME PARALLEL WITH AND OFFSET AND COUPLED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORT TUBES IN PERPENDICULAR TUBE PORTIONS, SAID TUBE PORTIONS FORMING STOPS CHECKING MOVEMENT OF THE ASSEMBLAGE IN ONE DIRECTION IN THE USE THEREOF IN CONNECTION WITH A WHEELCHAIR, SAID U-SHAPED FRAME HAVING A CROSSHEAD JOINING SAID TUBE PORTIONS IN SIDES PARALLEL WITH SAID SUPPORT TUBES, AND A PLATFORM PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID CROSSHEAD AND ARRANGED UPON A SURFACE OF SAID USHAPED FRAME WITH THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM SET INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID STOPS. 